


Something Wild

by Kairi_of_Knives



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Post-Canon, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 00:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20144326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairi_of_Knives/pseuds/Kairi_of_Knives
Summary: Byleth had once torn through time space with the Sword of the Creator to valiantly return to them from eternal darkness. No fool in their right mind would be able to blame him for how her radiance had burned itself into his memory in that moment. But even then, he had managed to at least outwardly keep his composure better than now. When all he wanted to do was bury himself in those messy locks and couldn't even trust himself not to cry as soon as her eyes met his. Ridiculous. It was ridiculous.Maybe so, he thought. But this was beyond his image, beyond reason even. This woman had dug her way so deeply into his heart that he was sure she'd never be dislodged now. Not by time, nor adversity, nor distance. She was his partner, his other half.And dear Sothis he had missed her.--After the dust has settled following the rebellion at Derdriu, Claude and Byleth finally have time to have a proper reunion and plan their future.





	Something Wild

**Author's Note:**

> So it's been a few days since I finished the Golden Deer route and I've come to terms with the ending now. There was just something so bittersweet about Claude leaving to go off and fulfill part 2 of his dream so soon after his engagement to Byleth. I'm still like...hella impressed he managed to become the King of Almyra in only a couple months. That's some determination to get back to his wifey if I do say so myself. And as romantic as the line "I'm never gonna let you go" is....WOULD IT HAVE KILLED YOU TO SHOW US LIKE A HAPPY CELEBRATING SCENE TO DIFFUSE ALL THE ANGST INTSYS?! Damn. Ah well, that's why fanfic writers exist, after all. 
> 
> Anyway, hope y'all enjoy the fluff. There's a lot of it, honestly. If you were interested in the song Byleth sings, it's Something Wild by Lindsey Sterling and Andrew McMahon. Give it a listen as you read :)

_The sky was blackened from smoke and what was likely magically generated smog that he could see immediately once they crossed Fodlan's throat. Their informants in former empire territory had told him less than a week ago of the planned attack on Derdriu by Those That Slither and the remaining Empire loyalists. He had known in his gut right away what that meant. Nemesis had destroyed so much of the Fodlan army on his march. Their other allies had dispersed to their homes to put their affairs back in order. They'd never get to the Capital in time and the only force protecting the city was the Queen's Guard. They'd be slaughtered._

_It wasn't the cleanest move. A new King rushing into a fight for a neighboring, historically unfriendly country was bound to be seen poorly. Choosing the best means to this very necessary end was beyond his abilities now though. When he said march, his army marched, eager to taste the sweet sting of a good battle. That's all that mattered now. When Fodlan was secure, he'd start weaving his grand plan again. This was all worthless if Fodlan fell._

_If **she**..._

_The resistance force was sizeable, but they were a patchwork force with no clear formation. They ran on hatred and numbers. Heaving an echoing battle cry from his throat, he ordered his men, ten fold larger than this puny resistance, forward. He would crush this act of disobedience so completely that no others would dare make an attempt. The Almyran forces ripped apart the Eastern flank in minutes. The Queen's Guard was hilariously confused to see the Almyrans rushing to their aid, but it wasn't long before he could hear Alois's booming voice signalling for his men to focus only on their foe. From high above the carnage, he could assess their position better. The Guard was focused in a defensive arc, maintaining a barrier between the enemy and the town. Their line had thinned but no one seemed to have snuck through. Still, something was missing...the enemy army wasn't too concerned with the city, concentrated several leagues away, near a hill where..._

** _No._ **

_Josephine let out a whine as he urged her forth as fast as she could possibly manage. His personal batallion of wyvern knights followed close behind as he raced across the field. Of course. Why hadn't he predicted that? The enemy wasn't after Derdriu. They were after the Queen. She who held the heart of Sothis safe in her breast. She who had ripped the Empire from its perch and defeated Nemesis the Fell King. The more distance she placed between herself and the city, the less casualties there would be. With forces as limited as hers, it was logically the best plan of a list of shitty options._

_But still, why the fuck was she out there alone?!_

_He could see her now, flashes of black sparks ripping apart enemies in all directions. The Sword of the Creator had always been such an impressive sight. It's ridiculous range ensured she could cut down most enemies before they got too close. But there were just so many and..._

_A circle of dark mages charged an attack that summoned a giant sigil across the ground, with almost half a mile of radius. Even if she had nothing in her way, she still wouldn't make it out in time. Fuck. He took aim at one of the mages, praying that disturbing even one caster would halt the spell. Failnaught's blinding red arrow split the gloom as it flew, hitting his target in his chest so hard the poor fool was nearly disintegrated. He let out a sigh of relief, looking down to assess the situation._

_Except...the circle remained, glowing brighter and brighter. His mind scrambled, eyes unable to look away from the bright eyes staring up at him with such awe. "No," he muttered aloud, diving down as fast as he could. If only he could reach her. He had to. She was his everything. He would save her. He **had** to. His eyes burned as the purple light exploded swallowing even the ground as the spell was unleashed. His throat ached from his scream as that devastating light consumed her..._

Claude jolted awake with a gasp. It took him a moment to come back to himself. Thick golden curtains, nice wooden finish on all the furniture, nice soft bed. In his mind, he could almost hear Byleth's weak complaints about the extravagant room they set her up with here in the castle. That was right. They had won. A complete, almost easy victory once he had arrived. The resistance was crushed and Byleth was safe.

Though, he noticed as he sat up, she was also not here in her bed, where she had certainly fallen asleep last night. Byleth's injuries hadn't been too serious, but her absence was definitely against the advice of Marianne, who had arrived at the tail end of the fight. His stomach demanded breakfast, but the whispers of that infernal dream in his mind still hadn't let his heart stop pounding. No, first order of business would be tracking her down.

In truth, he had never been to Derdriu with her. Claude had memorized her typical haunts back at the monastery, but here was all foreign territory. Though the castle was certainly impressive he had no particular desire to spend hours wandering the halls in vain. As he ventured out of the west wing where her bedroom was, a vaguely familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey there, Your Highness! Nothing to report this morning. Sure is nice to see you again though, sir."

Claude blinked. Ah yes, this man had been a gatekeeper at the monastery. The door near the marketplace if he recalled correctly. Byleth and him did seem to have a decent relationship back then. Awkwardly enough, he had no idea what the man's name was. Smiling sheepishly, he nodded, "Yes. I'm more than glad to be back myself. Didn't expect to see you here, honestly. Nice to see you...uh..."

"Anthony," the gatekeeper provided mercifully with a cheerful smile. "And yeah, I suppose no one would. I was super surprised when Lady Byleth invited me to work her at the Capital with her. A good surprise though! Its my honor to be able to serve My Lady in any way I can."

"That's good. I know she was fond of you. Speaking of Byleth..."

Anthony chuckled, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Her Highness snuck out if that's what you were wondering. There's a door near the kitchens where only the staff really goes. And they're all too busy for breakfast to say anything most days."

That image tickled him in a way he couldn't explain. Byleth, serious and dutiful leader of all of Fodlan, slipping out a backdoor to escape her fancy new dwellings. It was so like her, he couldn't supress a grin. "Any idea where she wondered off to?"

"Probably the docks if I had to guess. She seemed a little preoccupied."

Claude had no idea how those two things were related but he trusted Anthony's judgement. Thanking the man, Claude made use of that same "secret" door, inhaling the salty air. The sea glistened in the early morning sun. Derdriu really was a gorgeous city. One of his favorite in the Alliance honestly. It's selection as the capital of the United Kingdom of Fodlan was well thought out. There needed to be some sort of separation between church and state affairs, so housing the Queen in Garreg Mach wasn't really an option. Aside from that, being that close to the old Kingdom and Empire territories was risky so close to the war's end. History books would likely think of it as a reward to the victors. The Alliance had ended the war and it was they who got to be closest to the capital. Nuances of war were never well recorded anyway. The only things he could hope for was that their acts would eventually be accepted by even the far flung corners of the country. He'd had enough revolutions and rebellions for one life time, thank you kindly.

The bay bordering Derdriu was freezing cold this time of year, but it was clear and crisp, almost seductive in it's beauty. Claude was sent friendly hellos and greetings but never anything that informed him anyone had recognized him. Made sense given the fact that he had thrown on a loose long sleeved shirt over some lounge pants. Unkept hair, haphazardly tied boots, lines from the pillow still engraved on his cheek, he was just another guy out here. Good. That was how he preferred it. A quick scan of the docs didn't yield him any luck. If Byleth truly had come out here, he could only imagine it was to fish. She had spent at least a couple hours doing so early Sunday mornings at the monastery. Alas, she was no where to be found. 

"Might I share something with you that you may find interesting, sir?" a voice called from his left. A red haired merchant, beautiful and looking sly as a fox was staring at him with her chin in her hand. She looked familiar for some reason. Another face from the monastery displaced to the capital perhaps?

Claude smiled charmingly, smelling a scheme. "Does that information have a price, lady merchant?"

"Typically I'd say yes," she admitted flippantly. "But just this once I'll consider the fee waived."

"Really? To what do I owe the honor?"

The woman's gaze turned wistful. Her smile grew a tad sad. "A favor to a dear friend, let's say."

Claude blinked. The story behind this seemingly meaningless interaction was going to nag at him for a week, but the knots of anxiety in his chest had yet to unfurl. Whatever this woman has to say, he wanted to hear it and move on. "If you insist. I'm all ears."

"Down that path, along the coast, there's a dirt road that comes to a small cottage with a private dock. Not sure who once lived there, if anyone even did. But nowadays I hear that only a certain woman, with all the countries worries on her shoulders, ventures out there. A sanctuary hidden in plain sight."

His heart raced as his mind caught up with the realization. So she was at the docks. Just not these ones. Claude's smile was wider than he'd normally allow for such a stranger to see. It did not matter. She had done him a service. He bowed to the merchant quickly. "Thank you." He did not linger to hear her reply, walking so swiftly down the road he may as well have been jogging. The pavement beneath his feet faded into gravel, then nothing but dirt. The houses thinned until all that surrounded him were thick, lush bushes and trees. A cool, salty breeze still reached him, soothing the swear on the nape of his neck. Claude cursed his single minded focus, wanting to enjoy the simple beauty of this trail, to listen to the dull roar of the waves on the rocks. Another time perhaps. With his beloved's hand in his ideally.

Through the break in the trees, he spotted the cottage the merchant had spoken of. Truly it was a small, humble thing but he loved it instantly. In a small place like that, the smell of his mother's pheasant curry would swallow the whole room, reminding him so much of his childhood that his chest ached. He tore his eyes away from the building, running down towards the dock where...

His breath caught in his throat. Claude's legs carried him closer without him having to consciously choose to do so. There was just something about the way the sunlight caught in her hair, mint green tendrils twirling gently in the breeze. It made it glow, like the stars. Her boots were strewn across the dock, feet kicking aimlessly at the water that licked at the wood. Just a simple skirt and short sleeved shirt, but she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

Ridiculous, he scolded himself half heartedly. How unlike him to wax poetry over a scene this commonplace. Even back when she was his teacher, she was a thing of inescapable beauty. He gravitated towards her like she was the center of his universe. Byleth had once torn through time space with the Sword of the Creator to valiantly return to them from eternal darkness. No fool in their right mind would be able to blame him for how her radiance had burned itself into his memory in that moment. But even then, he had managed to at least outwardly keep his composure better than _now_. When all he wanted to do was bury himself in those messy locks and couldn't even trust himself not to cry as soon as her eyes met his. Ridiculous. It was ridiculous.

Maybe so, he thought. But this was beyond his image, beyond reason even. This woman had dug her way so deeply into his heart that he was sure she'd never be dislodged now. Not by time, nor adversity, nor distance. She was his partner, his other half.

And dear Sothis he had missed her.

"_You've had your maps drawn. You had other plans to hang your hopes on. Every road they led you down left so wrong...so you found another way_."

Claude blinked as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Byleth was...singing? Marianne, Lysithea and Lorenz had frequently gone to choir practices with her back in their academy days, but he had never heard her sing before. He jolted a bit when he realized his steps failed to be quiet in his surprise. Byleth's green eyes were hard to look away from. The small smile on her face was more of a beckon than anything else. One he was powerless to refuse. He plopped down next to her, a bit frustrated with himself for ruining her song. 

"You didn't have to stop."

A hand came up to tug his sleeve. "Lay down, Claude."

A flush spread across his cheeks. It was so terribly domestic. Lying in his fiance's lap by the sea as she sang to him. Despite his detached teasing demeanor, he had always been weak to this sort of thing. And, as he settled down, gazing out over the water, this was admittedly the most comfortable place he could think to rest his head. Her hands twined themselves in his unkept hair, nails dragging against his scalp just enough to make him sigh happily. This...this was worth fighting a war or two for.

_"You've got a big heart. The way you see the world, it got you this far. You might have some bruises and a few scars...but you know you're gonna be okay."_

Claude smiled to himself. Was it self centered of him to believe this song was about him? 

Byleth leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek, whispered more than sang, _"And even if your scared, you're stronger than you know."_

He exhaled shakily, closing his eyes against the moisture gathering there. Damn her. Bless her. Claude snuggled deeper into her lap, running a hand along the length of her leg. 

"_If you're lost out where the lights are blinding, caught in all, the stars are hiding...that's when something wild calls you home. If you face the fear that keeps you frozen, chase the sky into the ocean, that's when something wild calls you home_."

Something wild, huh? That was certainly true. What had Claude imagined would occur when Dimitri's cry for help had brought two skilled mercenaries to their aid? He could barely even remember the details, too lost in a haze of excitement about finding such a skilled asset. At first, Byleth had been a force to add to his arsenal. Then, a mystery to solve. Later, the only way to ensure he would have access to the legendary Sword of the Creator. His greatest schemes never accounted for crest beasts, a student inciting war, his teacher becoming one with the Goddess herself. Those plans didn't account for the unstoppable force of nature that was Byleth Eisner. Nor did he anticipate that in only a matter of months, she would become so dear to him, so central to his every plot and contingency, that he could simply not do without her.

Her calloused fingers twined his fate around her own just as easily as she was currently braiding his hair. Claude would always be a man dedicated to his ambitions, more so recently than ever considering how doable it all was now. The impossible was balanced on the tip of his outstretched hand and it was all due to her. This wild, gorgeous thing who had crashed into his life and heart and made a home for herself there. Claude raised his left hand up in front of his face, watching the sunlight reflect off the ring she had altered to fit him. Once so important to her parents, now a symbol of his love for her. Just like a ring. Without break...or end.

"Did you keep part of your hair longer just so you could braid it?" Byleth wondered, having abandoned her song to focus on her likely shoddy braid. Chuckling, Claude sat up, bringing a hand up to admire her attempt. It wasnt awful. Definitely too low to get any length though.

"That's classified information, ma'am," he teased with a sneaky grin. He couldn't restrain a laugh when she arched a brow and held up her own left hand as if to say, _is the ring not clearance enough?_ "I did actually. My mother wore a braid in her hair since I was very young. I loved it when she played with my hair before bed. Letting her braid a piece of it every morning was mostly just an excuse for her to keep touching it. Coming to Fodlan for the first time was...scary to say the least. My dreams were larger than life and all I had to help me was a title, my Crest, my bow, my conviction. I guess...the braid was a bit of a good luck charm. I used to play with it whenever I was stressed over my next move."

Byleth raised a hand to stroke his cheek, eyes warm and loving. He pressed a kiss to her palm on reflex, delighting in her blush. "Then why did you stop wearing your hair that way? If the braid was so important to you, I mean."

Not wearing the braid hadn't crossed his mind in quite awhile. A blush settled over his cheeks at the memory of why he had stopped wearing it and he almost wanted to say it was just another casualty of being too busy during the war. But Byleth's clever eyes had caught the change in his expression, sparking curiously in the way he knew meant she would never let him get away with such a half-assed answer.

"Almyra has another tradition. Use to be more popular way in the old days, but now it's mostly carried on by the wives of soldiers." Byleth nodded, looking a bit confused. Claude sighed, embarrassed. "Uhh, so, Almyra is a country that kinda thrives on fighting. At least a little bit. Has been built into our culture and all that. And in the past when warriors would go off to fight, their spouses would cut them a long strip of hair and braid it for them. It was supposed to be a good luck charm. Make sure the warriors came back safe and sound."

A small, almost giddy smile started growing on Byleth's face. She'd likely already connected the dots herself, but she would absolutely not pass up the opportunity to admit this aloud. "What a charming tradition. What does that have to do with you though?"

Claude tugged on a strand of her hair in rebuke for her coy attitude, flushed and twitchy, but also proud of how pleased his fiance seemed by this whole story. Despite himself, he explained, "When you disappeared...the day of the Battle of Garreg Mach, I searched for hours but couldn't find you anywhere. Just like the knights of Seiros refused to believe that Rhea had died, I too couldn't believe you'd up and die on us that easily. So, because I didn't have the luxury of searching every nook and cranny of the world for you, I..." It was hard to admit it. Claude had never been a pious man. Even having met a woman who had fused with a Goddess and that Goddess's child, he still did not put much stock in things like prayer and faith. Losing Byleth then had made him feel hopeless though. He had to do something in that moment, before he rushed off to try and patch the Alliance to withstand Edelgard's rage. 

Byleth scooted forward on the dock, pressing her forehead to his in comfort. Claude took the hand on his cheek into his own hand and threaded their fingers together. With a heavy sigh and closed eyes, he finished, "I went to the balcony of the Goddess Tower. And I knelt on the floor and prayed to Sothis that she would protect you and send you back to us. Then, I cut off my braid, tied the other end of it off, and placed it upon the alter in the corner." Byleth's fingers squeezed his own.

A pair of lips met his own, chaste and soft. She pulled back after only a moment, eyes misty when he gazed into them. Byleth ran her nose along the length of his when she muttered, "It worked. I came back."

His heart sung in his chest, forcing a dopey, love sick smile upon his lips. "Yeah. You did. And so did I. I'm sorry it took so long."

Byleth kissed him again, parting with a giggle he couldn't help but reciprocate. "Oh please. You gave me absolutely no estimate on how long that would take. I assumed it would be _years_. Minor connections to the throne, my ass." Claude sputtered at her curse, pulling her hand to draw her into the circle of his arms. Finally, he could bury his face in her messy hair, nosing at her ears and pressing kiss after kiss her neck. 

"They _were_ minor though," he whined, smiling helplessly into her shoulder. "My dad being the king made my job no easier. I had to pull all sorts of political miracles to get my voice heard by the right people and worm my way into the generals' favors. And my father's! If you knew the kind of stunts I pulled, you would never try to lessen how impressive this was an accomplishment."

Byleth scoffed, arms squeezing around his waist. "Being the prince of a nation wasn't a good enough connection for you? Claude, you're more of a noble than you like to think you are." He most definitely huffed in displeasure at that assessment. "Still, you did manage to convince the generals of the army somehow to come to the defense of one of their long time antagonistic neighbors. I have no clue how you managed it, but believe me when I say that I am thoroughly impressed."

Claude chuckled, pulling back enough to be able to gaze out over the bay again. "Yeah that may not have been the best move I could have made, honestly, but I have no regrets. I wasn't about to lose you there. Would have made the whole endeavor useless."

"I think we can still turn it around, with the proper approach," she mused, resting her head on his shoulder. "That was such a perfect display of solidarity between two countries after all. Doesn't it just provide the most perfect opportunity for some grand display of unity?"

Goddess, he was so in love with this woman. Six years ago, she tried to moderate his schemes so that they were more honorable and less traceable. Now, she was stealing the words from his mouth, so totally on the same page that they even formulated the same plots. Smirking, Claude drawled, "You know, you're absolutely right. I hear the new king of Almyra happens to be unwed. Sort of a liability. Kings need heirs at some point, and all that fun political business."

"A coincidence to be certain. The Queen of Fodlan is also unwed and has recently been facing some question of the military force behind her rule. Knowing that the mighty army of Almyra will be backing her might just be enough to dissuade any further rebellion."

"Well that does sound like a mutually beneficial agreement if I do say so myself!" Claude tipped her chin up to meet her eyes, heart swelling at the mirth and affection swirling in them. "What say thee then, My Lady? Shall we get married?"

Byleth hummed, placing her left hand on his right cheek. The cool metal of her ring was a comforting presence. "Would Almyra, a country that thrives so much on ceremony and festivity, really accept their king being wed here in Fodlan?"

With a grin, Claude shook his head. "Hell no. But I see no downside to that. Just means I get to marry you twice, my dear."

The woman in his arms looked thoughtful for a moment, eyes flickering across his face. When she voiced her idea, it was almost sheepish. "Would...you mind if we made that three times?" Claude swallowed, surprised. Sensing his confusion, she continued. "I don't mind that our relationship hasn't been ordinary so far. I didn't even get to spend more than a single evening with you after our engagement- which, I understand. This world we are building is too important to waste time, but...I want to be selfish with this. At least a little bit. Every scholar in the world can think of this as a marriage of political convenience all they want, but I've been in love with you for ages and the vows I want to give you aren't something for the world. They're for you."

Claude took a shuddering breath, overcome by how spoiled he was by this woman. In his mind, he had all these grand plans about how he was going to make it up to her when they arrived there, at the dawn of a new world. How they would go on long tours of the countries they had worked to change, taking in the sights under the premise of visiting their people, but really spend their time wrapped up in each other like proper newlyweds. How he was going to arrange their political systems to allow for a less hands on form of governing, powered more by the people's whims and desires, so that they could be a source of guidance but not dominion. He had always been one to see the forest but not the trees, he supposed. That was why he needed her there by his side. She was the practical, logical planner who made his too large for life goals a tangible reality. How fitting that she would point out to him that seeing his plans to completion did not necessitate him putting his own life on a complete stand still. Like this quaint cottage, close to the capital, but removed enough to be a good place to escape, he and Byleth could find clever ways to build their own future together while also keeping their ambitions alive and well.

And well, he had originally planned to whisper those secret vows, meant only for her ears, to the space between her legs on their first wedding night, but...he had a feeling Byleth wouldn't reject hearing them twice.

"That sounds like a plan, my love," he agreed, chest bursting with excitement at the thought of marrying this woman, his partner in crime, his best friend.

Byleth Eisner had been this wild, undefinable force in his life since he started the officer's academy over six years ago. Their path had not been easy, but it had also never been boring. Through it all, he was certain that he could handle anything as long as she was there by his side. Even this marriage and the years after were sure to be a wild ride, but no matter where life took him, he knew he would come right back here. To her. To his home.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not usually a fan of song fics, but I had to. I HAD TO. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Lemme know how you felt and always feel free to come scream at me on tumblr or twitter :)


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